Trixie the Manifique
by BemnalTheFallen
Summary: In 17th century Victorian age Equestria, Nobelmare Rarity's stewardess - Trixie - is charged with the awesome task if preparing a lavish three day banquet for Queen Celestia to gain her favor and therefore open the royal coffers to satiate Ponyville's debt. But falling for the Queen's mistress - Twilight Sparkle - might punch a rather nasty hole in that plan.
1. Begin Anon

Trixie the Manifique.

In 17th century Victorian age Equestria, Noblemare Rarity's stewardess -Trixie- is charged with the awesome task of preparing a lavish three day banquet for Queen Celestia to gain her favor and therefore open the royal coffers to satiate Ponyville's debt. But falling for the Queen's mistress Twilight Sparkle might punch a very nasty hole in that plan.

***disclaimer***

I do not own My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic or Vatel the movie nor do I have any aphiliations with it, its producers, hasbro, or its benifactors. I make no money on this, this is a fanbased story written purely for entertainment purposes.

***disclaimer***

***************************slight warning***********************

Rated M for suggestive sexual themes and light gore.

Anthromorphic ponies.

Non-goddess Celestia and Luna(still alicorns)

***************************slight warning************************

Based on true historical events.

Chapter One, Begin Anon

*April the tenth, 1761. Madame Rarity, her majesty gives me reason to believe that she will graciously accept your invitation to visit you in Ponyville.

The visit will last three days, the Queen instructs me to say, that she wants no fuss. Merely the simple pleasures of life in the country. In other words, if you value her majesty's favor, you will set no limit to the extravegence and inginuity of the festivities. I will present myself before hand to approve the arrangements.

Marqueese Hoity Toity.

In the service of her majesty Celestia Sunbeam the 14th of Equestria.*

Hoity Toity pressed a hot wax sealer onto the letter he'd finished writing in elegant print.

XXXXX

*My dear master stewardess, Madame Trixie. Good news and bad news, Her majesty arrives on Thursday, I'm sure you can understand the importance of her visit, a dropped wine glass or uncomfortable cushion could spell disaster for our entire province.

The good news, is we may go to war with Griffonia.*

Lyra finished up her own letter.

XXXXX

Trixie washed her hands in a metalic bowl of watter and flicked the specks of liquid as a million ideas and plans raced through her mind, Hoity Toity was to arrive today to inspect the festivities that she had organized and she fully intended to impress.

Grabbing a few items, Trixie made her way around her clustered mess of a room and inspected all that she had currently set up. Her parrot idly pecked at the chain on its leg.

Trixie walked over to a window and looked out towards the beautiful landscape of Rarity's manor, twin gardens set back against several achres of rich lush green fields.

Trixie also noticed her own reflection staring lightly back at her from the window, she war a black velvet set of pants and overcoat with the collar and sleave endings of a linen white shirt underneath, her silver mane's single bang hanging elagantly along the side of her face.

Turning towards the door, she made her way towards the door of her room and sifted through the cluster of books ranging from recipees to artistry to theatrical design.

At last she exited the cracked blue door.

A vioin seemed to lightly play in the background as ponies husled and bustled around the manor to secure all the decorations, Trixie waded through the mass of bodies and servants as her keen eye inspected every little detail, "on that table" she ordered to a stallion carrying a fixture vase before walking into the next room and garnering multiple, "good morning madame"s to which she responded in kind with a rushed, "good morning" before hurrying into the next room, so much had to be done today! And everything _must_ be perfect!

As Trixie exited into the high balcony of the central room of the manor which also adorned the squar stair way from the first floor to the second and third, Rarity made her way up the stairs with Hoity Toity next to her showcasing a rather bored expression.

Rarirty was dressed in an exquisitely beautiful dress that lacked the unnessessary corsets and constricting fashions of other maiden dresses but rather opted for more convienient black and red egyption cottan and silk with a red vest covered in a black over coat, long white stockings along her hooves and legs and her wrists and neck adorned with frilly endings of an undershirt, she also walked with a cane in her right hand that supported her movements which was heavilly needed thanks to the rather nasty gout that she'd developed.

"My husband Blueblood has placed the disposal of his apartments for the King and naturally I shall place mine for her majesty." Rarity stated as they reached the top of the stairs and passed down a hallway filled with lavish paintings encrusted with golden frames.

Meanwhile, several carriages were on their way towards Lady Rarity's manor carrying much of Celestia's court with them.

"and for the Queen and her chamer," she pointed at a luxurious large room with pleanty of space for activities, "we have the music room and hence to the apartment of the King." They proceeded into the next glorious room, "His majesty's bedroom. Drawing room, and the further bedroom beyond that for his majesty's lady in waiting."

"Lady in waiting?" Vinyl asked curiously.

"Madame Twilight." Hoity answered as he exited the room.

"ah..."

The group of ponies entered into the next room, "his majesty will be comfortable, and convenient." Rarity surmised.

"the Queen will neglegating his majesty's duty when going to bed most likely just as two days ago." Hoity said with a roll of his eyes, it was no secret that Celestia had made many visitations to various stallions and mares in the dead of night rather than to her husband.

"remarkably well informed you are..." Rarity commented.

Hoity gave a snide smile as he turned to his valet, "the Queen does often reffresh her husband every... what was what?"

"Monday." Fancy Pants answered.

"ah yes, Monday."

Rarity's eyes looked wide and forward, "_very_ well informed..."

They waloked down the stairs into yet another giant gold encrusted room, "this room is to serve as the councile chamber, and then there is the bedroom here... and a second here ofcourse for the Queen's hand maiden Cadence who I believe is close to her majesty."

Hoity took a look around the room... "... no... no... this room is room is for marquence Demonst." he said with dismissive finality.

Rarity gave a 'harumph' "Demonst? It is ever so hard to keep track when living in the country."

Some ponies came through asking where to put the court member's belongings, Hoity waved them off, "anywhere, put them in the attic." Hoity was dressed up in a typical Lord's fancy outfit of the day with dark greys in his outfit. "at the third, make sure my rooms are north facing, I don't like the sun coming in."

"Your roomS? Is it? I think you'll only be needing one room for three days wouldn't you say?" Rarity began as they made their way down to ground floor, "every cuppord and cuttony is spoken for, even so, to accomadate the court we'll have to use every farmhouse for MIES!" Rarity grunted as the gout in her hoof and ankle sent an explosion of pain through her system.

All ponies on the stair case paused.

Rarity turned and put her hand on Trixie's shoulder for support.

Trixie mulled everything over, "my room m'Lady." she offered.

Rarity furrowed her brows, "no, I won't have you disturbed Trixie." she said as she turned to reach the bottom of the stair case, "You haven't slept for a week as it is!"

The rest of the ponies followed behind her, Trixie observed the various chandeliers beling sent up the stairs and noticed some dust upon one of their crystaline forms, "have that cleaned." she said sharply before following her Lady.

Entering into a large but rather un impressive room that Trixie used for building small scale models of the festivities, she gave a small example of what they all could expect.

Grabbing some small cutout trees and moving over to a miniature wooden post with a pully system, she began anon, "The first day will center around nature, trees... Birds... she displayed the cutout trees being lifted into the air by the pully system and then unfolding out to display its leaves and branches. "butterflies, fruits... and flowers..." she gave a smile over to Hoity and Rarity.

"the scond day, on the lake," she continued while making her way to a large post construct of Rarity's lake side meadow area where a stage had been set up, "fireworks, the sun banishes the night!" she said with great enthusiasm as she pulled out a beautifully crafted glass lamp over cover, "the lamps are on their way now from Paris."

Then she moved over to a highly detailed construction of Neptune laying sideways with his tridant laying nonchalauntly by his side point up. "on the final day, a fish banquete will be presented on with a see of ice sculptures, Neptune's tribute to Helios.

Rarity gave an amused smile, "the Queen will catch a cold."

"no my Lady, the braziers will be lit one hour before the banquete." Trixie reassured.

Rarity chuckled, "then the ice will melt."

"I have forbidden it to melt my Lady." Trixie responded which earned a chuckle from Rarity.

"well, our fate; is in your hands."

Trixie smiled as she placed the cloth back over the miniature Neptune.

XXXXX

Ponies clambered their way towards the arriving roayal carriages.

*there's always a reason behind a royal visit, and the reason behind this one is Bricklebeak Orange, King of Griffonia who wants war. And if he gets it, Celestia is going to need the best general in Equestria. And many ponies think that is none other than the Nobelmare Lady Rarity, even with gout.*

Several high born ponies filed their way out of the carriages in the most high end luxurious outfits imaginable and headed up the stone stairs towards Rarity's manor as several servants greeted them, *compared to this visit from the Queen, war with the Griffons will seem like a picnic.*

XXXXX

"woah woah woah there! Excuse me how can I help you?" Lyra cried as she held her hands up to stop a plethora of angry looking ponies making their way through the manor grounds into the various areas of preparation for the banquete, "please Madame, I want only to talk to the mare at the top." the seemingly leader of the mob said as he stepped forward.

"ah yes," Lyra gave a nervous chuckle, "I regret that my Lady is busy at the moment tending to the Que-"

"not them!" the stallion snapped, "the mare in charge! The master of pleasures and festivities, Trixie!"

Lyra frowned, "oh Trixie ah yes... that's slightly more difficult... ofcourse... I'll see what I can do, please follow!" the mint green mare led her into the gargantuan kitchens of the manor which contained practically a whole town of ponies struggling hard to get all of the food cooked for the banquete.

Trixie meandered through the kitchens inspecting that everypony was doing his or her job and and ensuring that all foods were fresh, she made her way through the greenery of the kitchen and gave a smile to her young apprentice Pipsqueek who smiled cheerilee at her.

Trixie idly picked a vegetable from a hanging bunch and tested its freshness, satisfied, she continued on through the mass of ponies bustling around and tending to food. She stopped over by an unloading crate, "how many of these?" "sixteen madame!" Trixie gave a satisfied nod.

"miss Trixie... Madame Trixie!" an annoyed voice called from behind the turquise mare, Trixie turned around to see a group of angry looking ponies.

"you are tresspassing here misoure, I suggest you leave." she said indignantly.

This only seemed to infuriate the mob leader further, "all of us are owed money!" "yes! "that's right!" several voices accompanied him. "We've come to tell you, from this moment, _nothing_ on credit." "nothing!" "not a single cabbage leave, or a cracked coffee cup or a table napkin, NOTHING! Until our bills are paid!" "exactly!" "yes!"

Trixie gave a 'hmm' as she lightly ground her teeth. She walked up to the debt collector, "... come..." she turned and headed off into another section of the kitchens.

"we have businesses to run, and families to provide for!" the leader pleaded as Trixie sorted a few things on a table, "when will we get what we're owed?"

Trixie turned to him with a slightly angered expression, "what you are owed now is the truth, as things stand we cannot honor our debts!" she said with a flourish of her arms, "not even if a hundred years had gone by could we pay for these festivities." she made her way over to a boiling pot and pulled out a tied up bag, "we cannot pay you a single suit, nor will we ever, you have only one chance of getting your money: by giving me everythig I ask for." she placed the bag on the table and unwrapped it revealing an artechoach which she placed in a basked of greenery to accent the collors.

"instantly and of the very best quality, then more of the same!" she continued.

Lyra cringed slightly, Trixie had a hard time thinking before she spoke and often came across as rude to most ponies who didn't know her well.

"this visit is a reconciliation, if the Queen is pleased by the festivities, then the royal coffers will open. Lady Rarity is bankrupt, it's up to you." she finished as she walked aroung the table to the mob leader.

"... if we do give you credit... how will we know that we'll get our money back?"

Trixie made a fleeting gesture with her hand, "my Lady has said so." she said matter of factly, "Lady Rarity is a mare of honor. On that I stake my life. You will be paid!"

XXXXX

Trixie made her way through other parts of the kitchen checking things here and there while earning a few more "good morning" and "Madame Trixie" with nods as she walked through the bakery, various ponies rolling and kneeding dough while others flipped their own dough around in trough bins, Trixie entered into the next area of the kitchens.

XXXXX

A sobbing mare made her way through the grand rooms atop the second floor of the manner as she hurried through passing ponies trying her best to avoide any social contact.

As she made her way down the stairs however, she ran into Cadence and gave a quick curtsy.

Cadence responded in kind, "are you going down? I'm going up." The sobbing mare rushed down the stairs.

Cadence rolled her eyes and made her way to the second floor.

Down on the first flight of stairs, the sobbing mare came in contact with Celestia's husband the King, dressed completely in black he paused and so did the mare.

The weeping mare tried ot keep herself dignified but ultimately ended up running away. The King shook his head and dismissed it as he ascended the stairs with his servants close behind carrying his cocker spaniel on a lavish pillow, "where is Madame Twilight?" he inquired, "explain to her that we have a card game in waiting."

XXXXX

Twilight had found herself into a random room on one of the upper floors of the manor, it was a complete mess filled with littered books, pages, and a few parrots by the window chained to little foot holds for their claws.

Twilight was dressed in a typical high born mare's outfit, silky beautiful dress with intermingling colors of red, golden brown, and green, this all included the flowing doidle of a head dress that most nobel mares wore; Personally Twilight hated it, along with the corset that made it difficult to breath, but she managed.

She was currently holding her bird cage which sported a few canaries when the door suddenly flung open to reveal Trixie, the event was so sudden that it gave Twilight the start of her life and caused her to jump in the air and drop her bird cage upon the ground, scattering the bird feed.

Trixie blinked, then quickly rushed over, "forgive me Madame, let me." she gently brought the cage up and made a few kissy sounds to calm the birds as she set it on the table and looked around the room whilst chewing on her lip, "hmm... allow me," she walked over to her bouquete of flowers and picked out one that contained a particularly succulant sugar and wrapped its viney length around a coper rod which she then poked through the cage's holes; the canaries hopped up on the rod and began feeding from the flowers.

Twilight blinked in astonishment, that was pretty inginuitive as far as she was concerned.

"I hope your birds will be happy with it." Trixie said as she gently handed the cage over to Twilight.

Their eyes locked for a few akward seconds, Twilight was new to court and therefore not the most socially apt of ponies and Trixie's OCD autistic mind fared no better at conversations.

Luckilly they were both saved by the bell, a chiming from behind Trixie caused her to notice that one of her other clocks was quite off the proper time and thus she walked over to it and opened the protective glass so that she may remedy the situation.

In this time, a mare popped her head in to garner Twilight's attention, "Madame?" she gestured with her head that Twilight was needed elsewhere. The lavander Unicorn gave a slight glance back at Trixie before exiting the room.

By the time Trixie was finished, she was just able to catch Twilight leaving the room.

XXXXX

Back down in the kitchens, several of Luna's 'friends' which were really no more than foolish and obnoxious members of her Night Guard that joined the princess in many boarder line brigadine escapades walked around to a large half berral of water within a preserving section of the kitchens.

"AH YES! Here we are!" Nightwing called out, "put him in with the fruit!" another called. The bat winged Pegasi carried a stark naked Pipsqueak into the fruid rinsing berral and dipped him into the frigid waters. "my what a puny one!" a few giggles and laughes echoed between the bunch of hooligans.

It was now that Trixie entered into this particular domain and was witness to the bizaar sight of her apprentice being washed off like a dog in a fruit preserver-turned-bath tub.

A splash of water from a small bucket hit Pip's face causing him to cough a bit. Trixie's face turned sour as she shoved her way through the gang, laughter slowly died down.

Trixie gave a stern glare that demanded an explanation. Vinyl who was currently present quietly spoke up, "Madame, t-the Queen's sister wants him for her page..." she meekly let out.

Trixie's gaze turned then to her naked apprentice, "she chose me." he stated innocently and completely ignorant to what game of Luna's he'd been swept along into.

A roar of laughter souned between the Night Guards.

Trixie didn't seem amused in the slightest, she knew exactly what was going on here and she was going to put a stop to it before it even began, "get him dressed and put him to work." it wasn't a request.

Silence fell...

Nightwing walked up as he cleared his throat, "and... what would you have me tell... her highness, the Queen's sister hmm?" the stallion inquired condescendingly.

Trixie stood firm, she'd heard the many stories of Luna's more carnal interests and they certainly reached into particularly young colts and fillies on occasion; not on her life was she going to allow her apprentice to be subject to such perversion, "tell her I don't get my colts from her budoiur... and she won't get hers from my kitchen."

A few stallions giggled slightly in the background as they clearly did not take Trixie seriously, but Nightwing was smarter than that, he knew a rebel to the higher autorities when he saw one, and Trixie looked more than content on refusing to comply. "yes..." he began with a dark glare, all of his baffoonery suddenly dissappearing in favor of a true dark soldier of the night, "indeed I will." he finished curtly before turning to leave.

Trixie let out a breath that she hadn't realized she was hiding as she made her way over to one of the various fruit stands, she let out a series of controlled breaths, something about that nightguard's catslit pupils seemed to bore into her soul.

"it's not vary wise," Lyra began as she sat at a table helping the cooks to peel and fashion artistic crafts out of the oranges, "to upset the Queen's sister you know." she continued in the tone of one friend giving obvious advice to another, "it could go badly for us if she chooses." she finished.

"I'm a stewardess, not a pimp Lyra." Trixie responded sharply as she tended to various fruits.

"MADAME TRIXIE! MADAME TRIXIE!" Bon Bon cried as she dashed like chicken with its head cut off into the kitchen, then in a voice filled with pants she added, "Lord Blueblood... has been... bitten... by a monkey!"

XXXXX

Out in the coutyards surrounded by a hedge maze, ponies of high caste and servants alike panicked and screemed as a monkey sprinted around the coutyard's confinds and hopped up on various backs before leaping to another, squeeking all the while.

Pandamonium spread as Trixie did her part in an attempt to subdue the creature but ultimately animal tamers were required to ensnare it, the whole while the King laughed his rump off and clapped as if watching a show.

Trixie made her way over to Blueblood, "master stewardess! You've filled my garden with savage beasts! And now I've been badly bitten," he whined in an immature voice while pointing to his arm which sported a nasty looking bite wound. "where were you?!" he cried over dramatically.

"busy my Lord, we had some unwelcome visitors." Trixie answered.

"Beggars." Blueblood ventured a guess with a femenine motion of his wrist up to his forhead.

Trixie leaned in, "creditors." she revealed in a hushed tone.

"creditors?!" he responded with panic.

Trixie made a 'shh' sound with her finger as if to say, 'all under control'.

Bon Bon finally made her way into the park and began fussing over Blueblood like tending to a young colt who had recieved a boo boo, "Bon Bon! look I've been badly bitten!"

"oh no!" Bon Bon responded with forced enthusiasm as she led Blueblood away from the party.

Trixie shook her head and chuckled before turning to enter into another part of the garden, along the way she passed a lavender Unicorn mare who asked, "what's your name?" Trixie turned to the mare, "Trixie Lulamoon, Madame." she gave a bow before exiting the area but then stopped as her mind processed the face, hadn't that been the mare she'd encountered earlier today with the canaries?

"hmm..." Trixie shrugged it off and reached a table filled with various foods and drink, she notted that the coffee pot was low and brought it over to a cilver urn filled with the heated drink, pulling the lid of, she grabbed a ladle just as the vary same Unicorn called out her name from accross the table, "Madame Trixie?" Twilight stood with a sunshade umbrella above her head.

Trixie acknowledged the mare as she began scooping liquid from the thermus into the coffee pot.

"you were at Manehatten ten years ago." she stated rather than asked.

"yes Madame." Trixie replied, "I was stewardess to Nickhoof Oklae, her majesty's master of finance." she gave Twilight a small smile before returning to her self appointed task.

Twilight made a display of a rueful chuckle, "you mean her majesty's prisoner for life in the fortress of Binyorald?" she quiped.

Trixie paused a bit, "... that is so." she admited before adding another scoop.

Twilight's eyes looked to the side as she curled her lip, "six thousand guests... to meet the Queen... " she chuckled again albiet disdainfully, "diamonds and saddle wyverns given away in foalish games..." once again she held a rueful smile as she met Trixie's eyes, "that was overduing it don't you think?"

Trixie pondered this for a bit, though she failed to see Twilight's point, "it showed how much Oklae had been stealing." Twilight finished matter of factly.

Trixie stood somewhat stunned but quickly recovered and finished filling up the coffee pot. When she looked up again, Twilight was already walking away, Trixie's eyes blinked as her mouth went slightly ajar; she'd always had problems with private conversations but had never been left speechless before...

XXXXX

Down in the kitchens, Trixie picked up one of the cups of custard and scooped up a bite, "Lyra, why has the Queen really come here?" she asked as she took a bite of custard.

"it's revenge if you ask me, the Queen will never forget the day Rarity fought against her in the civil war." Lyra pondered a fancy.

Trixie handed the cup to a random servant before walking around the table headed for another section of the kitchens, "that was a long time ago, the Queen was a filly" Trixie pointed out.

Lyra rose her brows with closed eyes in agreement, "that and if there's a war with the Griffons, the Queen will need Rarity."

Trixie attended to a few foods before turning and headed through a hallway.

"yes but she's..." Trixie trailed off.

"sick of war? so she is," Lyra began, "but she's equally sick of being in debt." she finished.

XXXXX

In one of the larger rooms of the manner adorned with a large table, a few servants here and there mosied around as Celestia sat behind a fold up dressing wall sitting on what essentially was a 17th century toilet furnished as a comfortable chair.

"Rarity." she called out as she did her business.

"Majesty?" Rarity stood up despite the slight pain from her gout.

"what exactly do you need so much money for?" the Queen asked.

Rarity shifted a bit in place, "for the... betterment of Equestria." she responded with a slight pause before sitting back down.

"well Rich, where are our envoys from Griffonia? Aren't they here yet?" Celestia called to her Tyrn with impatience.

Filthy Rich responded as such, "not yet your majesty."

"peace with the Griffons is good for nothing except tulips." Celestia finished her business and bent over a table as one of her servants whiped her plot. "how many tulips do we have in Canterlot?"

Rich gave a slight pause as he calculated, "two million your Sire."

"my gardener hates flowers... oh he would love a war with the Griffons hmhmhm..." Celestia imagined.

"indeed sire," Rich began, "but would you recale your highness that you have promised your daughter's hand in marriage to Bricklebeak Orange? An invasion... would not look well, would that not be true?" he asked.

Celestia rolled her eyes, one of which was covered by her long straight curtain of a pink mane, "my daughter can't even talk yet Rich" she snapped her fingers as she took a seat at the table that Rarity had excused herself from.

"four days ride from Equestria we have a country of protestants, republicans, and printers of saditious pamphlets..." she picked up a mirror, "no Queen is safe from free thinkers... especially if they are as rich as the Griffons." she finished curtly.

Filthy Rich watched as Celestia pondered her reflection for a few moments before setting the mirror down and contemplating the napkin infront of her, "... we have no better suitor as general then Rarity..." she put a few fingers to her temple as she tried to force the headache of her predicament away, "if there's war... We'll need her... but she's expensive... but if there's peace..." she turned to her Tyrn, "what do I say in the meantime?"

Rich smiled, "why say anythin? Your majesty was invided here to enjoy yourself, not for business."

XXXXX

The Queen and a few of her cout ponies walked through the frontmost stone coutyard of the manor as many ponies bowed to her.

Rarity limped with her cane as she searched around for her stewardess, spotting Trixie, she hurried over as best she could, "are the musicians ready?" she inquired.

"Yes my Lady." she responded.

Rarity groaned lightely in frustration, "the Queen said not a single civil word to me throughout concil and now wants to go muttling around wi-" "which one is the Queen?!" a peasant mare cried out in the middle of the courtyard, heads whipped around to see the peasant begine screeming in fury, "You killed my only son you bitch!" She roared as she made a mad dash for Celestia only to be denied her goal by Sun Guardians but she did not stop her rant.

"he died working the machinees in Canterlot so that the Queen could have her luxuries!" the guards yanked her to the ground as she began weeping and flailing about.

"get your hands off me!" she cried as the guards dragged her away.

Celestia seemed to have an almost amused expression on her face.

Rarity stuck her face in Trixie's "have you no control over your own ponies?!" she snaped.

A servant snuck his way into the conversation, "her majesty wants the madmare flogged and at once." he informed.

Rarity gave Trixie a stern look, "see to it at once master stewardess." she said with finality in her voice before walking off.

Trixie caught up to her, "I'm not your master of flogging mares." she replied with her own stubborness, that was one thing the two Unicorns had both in common and abundance, stubborn as a mule and twice as enduring.

Rarity flared her nostrils and looked to another servant nearby, "hundred lashes." the servant bowed before heading off.

Rarity then turned back to Trixie with a glare, "you know what's at stake! do not _weaken_!" and with that, she turned and left.

Trixie turned back to gaze upon the mare being dragged away as she flailed her limbs about, "MURDERER! ASSASSSIN! MY SON!"

Trixie's line of sight was then diverted by a now familliar face in the third floor window of the manor, up there she saw Twilight glancing down at the coutyard below before walking off and out of view.

Taking a few controled breaths, Trixie walked to the ceiling covered section of the courtyard underneath the edges of the manor where she then came in contact with Luna and Nightwing along with a few other of the Night Guard.

"Madame Trixie." Luna called.

Trixie gave a bow.

Luna was outfited in a ridiculous attire of what in short might be considered a dominatrix outfit, the sheer fact that she could walk around like that would make most ponies drop their jaws, but those who'd been at court long enough knew to just roll their eyes and mark it off as another one of Luna's antics; matter of fact, her Nightguard were not dressed in proper military attire, rather they were adorned with leathers befitting of a mideavil thief or assassin, some were even dressed as pirates and another was dressed as a knight in silver platemail.

To keep a straight face (whether from avoiding laughter or a gawk) was difficult to say the least. But in a way the black tight leathers swaddling in a seductive yet intimidating fashion seemed to suit the stunted mare, Luna was only five hooves tall on the mark which made her shorter than even most mares, her turquise mane was windswept in suave wavy strands like a dashing rogue. Her outfit was perhaps completed with a metal studded chocke collar around her neck and a sheathed cutlass which she used as an improvisional walking cane.

"I'm short a page in Canterlot... you have a colt who might due apparantly." she said in a tone that was hard to place as either serious or playful, "send him to my appartment; and I'll have a look at him." and with that, she pranced on past Trixie followed by a few of her giggling Night Guard, "come Nightwing, we have been promised music." she finished in mock haughtiness meant to comedically immitate her sister.

"music is my weakness." she added as the ponies left the vacinity accompanied by a few "la la la la la la" here and there voiced by her 'friends'.

Trixie glared at the back of Luna's head.

XXXXX

An opera singer commenced her song in an auditorium of sorts within the manor. Present within the audience was Celestia, Luna, Hoity Toity, Filthy Rich, the King, Rarity, and a few other minor nobles.

Rarity leaned over slightly to the Queen who fed some of the orderves to her cocker spaniel, "the uh... madmare has been flogged your majesty, I ask your pardon."

"madmare? don't concern yourself Rarity, I recall no madmare." Celestia replied.

Rarity gave a slight nod that came accross as a bow.

The Queen then looked over towards Twilight who then noticed her gaze and looked back before giving a slight tilt of her head.

A few of Celestia's hand maidens shared a glance.

Most of the servants continued to listen in to the opera. The King noticed the shifting of eyes from noteable ponies in the room, his mood slowly souring.

Most would not have even noiced it, to some it might have appeared as something that would be worthy of brushing off. But to members of court, they recognized the silent conversation all to well.

XXXXX

Vinyl grunted in frustration as she marched over to Trixie, "there's no sign of them! How long are they going to be?" she rushed over to the table full of delicious assortments of food to which Trixie was attending out near the lake, "you can't rush time." Trixie replied absently.

"well we can't slow down the sunset!" Vinyl retorted.

Trixie took in a breath and let it out in a slow huff as she looked around the beautiful meadow and contemplated what to do...

XXXXX

back in the auditorium, Hoity Toity made his way over to Twilight, the action was not unnoticed by Lyra.

Hoity stood next to Twilight for a bit, "Madame..."

Twilight turned to look at him with a cocked brow, "misioure Hoity?" she responded.

Hoity did a bit of a tilting head dance before seating himself next to Twilight and leaned his head in towards her, "the Queen sends you her compliments... and she begs a favor of taking a cup of chocolate with you in your room... at midnight..." he leaned his head a way and looked onto the opera.

"with me?..." Twilight asked with slight sarcasm in her voice but not once did she tear her eyes away from the performance.

Hoity leaned his head on Twilight's shoulder, "may I offer you my congradulations..." he whispered out, "although," he returned to a normal seating position, "as you can imagine, this came as a great blow to me. After tonight I cannot hope for deliverance from the pain of my own," he sighed, "desires, so! May I suggest... my rooms at, ten?" he offered.

Twilight inwardly cringed, Hoity had constantly been passing flirtations and inuendos towards her since the first day of court and he most certainly was not the type to give up the hunt for something he prized.

The mare turned towards Hoity, "alas misiour, at ten o'clock I have an even more attractive offer, the Queen has asked me to de-louse her spaniel." she said with a sly smile.

Hoity curled lip for a bit before bringing his lips to Twilight's ear and whispering, "Madame." and then returned to his original seat.

XXXXX

Trixie pondered her wind up watch with some distress, with a slight grunt, she turned and made her way to the outoor kitchen area by the lake where two large lines of ponies sat on either side of a row of tables and prepared several salads and sliced meats.

Trixie inspected them all as she made her way down, stopping once to add a spice here and there as well as pausing by the stallion turning a duck on a spit above a coal powered stove of coppe and poked her finger into the sauce being poured over the duck, tasting it, she gave a satisfied nod before continuing on.

Trixie was still highly concerned about when the court would finish up at the auditorium and arrive by the lake, all of the provisions were ready and the sun was at its highest, if they wasted too much time; the spectacle would be ruined.

"SHE'S COMING! Thank the gods she's coming!" Vinyl cried as she rushed towards Trixie.

Trixie let out a breath of relief, "alright!" she shooed everypony off to their proper places on the wooden stage built out along the meadow beside the lake, the entire set up was several hundred hooves long and wide with various folding walls and props.

"hurry, places!"

Trixie made a mad dash through the gaggle of ponies until she found her ladder support which gave her access to the various mirrors placed high above the stage allowing her to see every corner of the show both infront and backstage. She held her hand up as she lookd towards the Recorder players holding the block flute-like instruments in their hands. Trixie counted in her head as she looked to the incoming ponies, "and... now." she mouthed out silently whilst pointing to the musicians who than began playing a gentle but happy tune reminiscen of a ballet.

Out on the stage, the Queen was guided through an archway into the center of the stage where she stood a blood red regal dress with a walking cane adorning the rising sun atop it. Upon reaching the center of the stage, she struck the ground with the bottom of the cane which then was follewed thereby several young fillies and colt accrobats who began an elegant and symetrical dance as if by two mirrors placed next to eachother on either side of the central stage.

More dancers to the left waited for their que and then knelt on the ground as stage prop feathers flared to life in front of them, one hand stretched out to the left as a false wall folded down followed by the outstretched right hand signaling that wall to come down as well.

The same process repeated on the right side of the stage as props were brought to life all around, giant paper machee trees unfurled as they were hoisted into the air and violins entered into the pleasant tune of music; a young colt dressed as an angel was strapped up to a stage wire that lifted him into the air as he held a Qubid bow.

Celestia looked around at the spectacle and was honestly impressed, and that was not an easy feat to achieve for her picky tastes. The whole set was completed with a large silver sun lowered into just the right spot to catch the light of the true celestial body overhead which then lit the silver prop to life and sent a radiant glow of beauty over the entire stage as the actors bowed to it.

The court member ponies clapped in aplause as they rose from their seats, Celestia wore a small amused smile on her face. It was then that the cooks brought the food and drink to the guests, "in the name of the Queen, eat and drink, and enjoy yourselves!"

Trixie smiled approvingly as she witnessed all of her work come together perfectly, she then lowered from the later and prepared to joing the crowd herself, mentally preparing for social interaction with several haughty high born ponies as he took a deep breath and exhaled; she scampered through the crowd of stage hands and cooks while ushering other young actors and actresses onto the stage as their parts came up, "go, go, go! Go!"

The Queen and her subjects watched the open stage play as they ate, Trixie sat in the crowd of lesser lords and ladies as she held a spyglass to her eyes and peered over to the various actors making sure that every movement was to her coriagraphy looking over to Rarity, she noticed the Unicorn's discomfort.

Trixie turned to the servants as she broke away from the crowd, "the Lady's gout is bad, tell Bon Bon immediately and have the cook please send me a napkin at once." the mare inspected the various plates being brought past her towards the guests.

Back over by the table filled with members of court, Celestia sat with Rarity to her right and Cadence to Rarity's right. The pink Alicorn leaned in her head in Celestia's direction as the Queen ate, "isn't it to your taste your majesty?" she asked.

Celestia felt like rolling her eyes at Cadence's stupid question after stupid pointless question, or at least that's how she chose to view them; quite frankly she was growing tired of the mare even despite her ravishing beauty. Celestia leaned towards her left and gestured with her fingers for Hoity to come near.

The stallion excused himself from his spot and walked over to the Queen before leaning in.

Celestia spoke with a drawling bored expression, "change Cadence's spot for Twilight."

Hoity nodded before walking over to Cadence and whispering in her ear.

The King two Celestia's left smirked at his small victory, he always enjoyed it whenever Celestia cast one of her mistresses aside for a new one and left the old in the dust, it served as a slight bit of revenge for the King .

Cadence's face looked slightly shocked as she blinked in place a few times. She begrudgingly stood up with tence muscles and a scowl printed firmly on her face but she forced a twitching smile as she gave a curtsy to Celestia and switched spots with Twilight.

Celestia continued to eat and enjoy the show, "you look pale Rarity, are you ill?" she asked absent mindedly without so much as a glance to the Unicorn.

"Your majesty is most gracious to inquire..." she replied.

"yes indeed." Celestia quiped as she tore at some meat.

Trixie stood behind the stage looking through her spyglass, she didn't know why she was focusing on a particular pony rather than the actors but for whatever force had possessed her, the spyglass she held was facing Twilight as she made her way over to Cadence's seat.

Trixie continued to stare at Twilight through her spyglass until the lavender's eyes found her.

Trixie pulled away from the spyglass, both Unicorns even from such a distance seemed to meet eachother's eyes.

This connection did not go unnoticed by Hoity however.

XXXXX

Trixie was infront of a candy stand alongside another section of the meadows and dipping various fruits inside of heated liquid caramel before hanging them upon a long string that hung from two posts several hooves in the air.

Hoity Toity then saunteered over, when Trixie noticed she had a guest, she gave a slight bow and returened to basting the fruits in the sugary substance.

Hoity took a breath and exhaled, "I see we share the same taste." he stated.

Trixie did a very minor double take, "taste?" she inquired.

Hoity met Trixie's eyes, "in mares." he revealed plainly.

Trixie blinked... then returned to glazing the fruits.

Hoity continued his speech regardless, "there is a Lady... who has been rejecting my advances in a way which I find quite stimulating..." he informed.

Trixie showed him a cocked brow.

"her world is about to change," hoity furthered, "the Queen has asked for her tonight and I suggest we mark the event... I want you to make a master piece, spot sugar and paste, fruit and flowers. I'll leave it to you." he finished.

"I'm not a paticére." Trixie replied bluntly.

Hoity frowned, "you were apprenticed to Ebonheart." he stated almost rudely.

Trixie's eye twitched slightly at the mention of her rather disreputable past, "I'll be too busy." she said as she turned away, "ask somepony else Marquee."

Hoity narrowed his eyes, "fruit and flowers, in the color of flesh and blood." he stated, completely brushing aside Trixie's rejection, "flesh... and blood."

Trixie stared at the stallion.

"I'll send my valet in the morning." Hoity said with finality before walking away.

XXXXX

Night fell around the manor as a nightly opera was shocased to the guests.

But over in a far corner of the courtyard, a young colt and his sister were swinging clubs at the decorations and smashing multiple bulbs of the recently forged glass.

Trixie's eyes widened in alarm as she sprinted towards the mischevious duo, "now young sir, I must ask you to behave yourself!"

"don't you know who I am?!" the colt snapped indignantly.

"I do not have the honor." Trixie replied and she tried her utmost to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"I'm Via Vonlouse, and when I grow up, I'll be the Duke Adom Vélice." the ruffian revealed as he pranced along the stone walkway only to bump into Twilight.

"in that case," the Unicorn began as she grabbed the colt's chin, "it is not too soon to learn how to act like Duke Adom Vélice."

The young ones gave her a quick bow and hurried inside the manor while giggling to themselves.

Trixie walked to stand alongside Twilight who turned to the silver maned mare, "in truth, the Duke Adom Vélice behaves like a pig." she chuckled and gave Trixie a smile.

"thank you Madame," Trixie replied, "the Frulábé of Santiel picked that glass just for this banquet. To make the trees pretty for her majesty and those too are on credit." the mare informed.

Twilight rose an eye brow an amused smile, "but the poor are happy to be the Queen's creditors... Its an honor they never dreamed of." she stated.

"ofcourse," Trixie began, "both my parents were so honored, they died of it." she said with a vengefull sharpness to her tongue.

Twilight's head reared slightly at the aggressive response, she blinked before turning to quickly leave.

Trixie stood quietly and alone in the middle of the walkway thinking that perhaps she'd once again been quite rude for seemingly no reason to somepony who didn't deserve it.

XXXXX

Twilight joined the rest of the nobels in watching the nightly play and took her seat a small distance away from the Queen.

Hoity stared longingly at the Unicorn.

END OF CHAPTER ONE!


	2. The Show Must Go On

Chapter Two, The Show Must Go On.

"Rarity's birds?! I don't belive this!" Bon Bon roared in rustration as she pounded her fists into the cariage of empty bird cages causing them to fall to the ground and clank. "WHERE ARE MY BIRDS?!" the mare shrieked, she was ofcourse reffering to the birds she'd ordered for Rarity's gout.

"they were commendeered!" the deliverer yelled defensively.

"What do you mean 'commendeered'?!" Bon Bon snapped back at her.

"Bandits! Rouges and vagabonds! We had no choice!" the deliverer responded.

"but these are for the Lady Rarity!"

XXXXX

Bon bon washed her face in a bowl of water, "what am I going to do? What am I gonna do?!" Bon Bon walked to a nearby seat in the kitchens and sat accross from Trixie, "I mean it's exausting, I specifically ordered those birds for our Lady's gout, her gout has been giving her trouble today..." She got up and headed over to a cooking pot and scooped herself a bowl of stew, "what am I going to do?" she sat back down.

"use something else." Trixie suggested.

"Ha! Use something else? Aha ha ha!" she plopped into her seat, "use something else..." she sneered the words, "the heart;" she began with emphasis, "torn from the breast of a living bird is the only treatmant for gout, _every_pony knows that!" she finished before grudgingly scooping up a spoonful of stew.

Trixie finished filing her papers, "why not chickens?" she suggested again as she stood from her seat and began to leave the room.

"Chickens?! She's a Nobel Lady! Chicken hearts wouldn't even cure a peasant..." she spoke condescendingly.

Trixie gave a bland look.

"Trixie!" A voice called from behind, Trixie turned to see Vinyl shuffling into the kitchen, "Madame Trixie! Lady Rarity wishes to speak with you."

XXXXX

Trixie waded through the mass of guests enjoying the nightly opera as she found herself at Rarity's side.

"Are you trying to ruin me?" Rarity asked with a stern voice.

"My Lady?" Trixie question, quite puzzled.

"First that madmare, now the Marquee Hoity Toity tells me that you've been insolant!" The alabaster Unicorn affirmed.

"Insolant?" Trixie asked even more thoroughly thrown off.

"you refused to be of service to him." She stated dryly.

"... I refused to be his particére." Trixie preplied despondantly.

Rarity drove her cane into the ground as she rose from her seat, "what is the matter with you?! Hoity has the Queen's ear, for the next few days do what he asks!" It was by no means a request, it was a command.

"bravo My Lady! Bravo." Celestia applaud from her seat as the opera finished and several ponie began clapping.

Rarity sighed and gave Trixie a long hard look.

XXXXX

The dinner feast was served in the auditorium room though most ponies were favoring lighter treats given their full bellies from earlier.

Trixie oversaw everything within the room from behind a wall with a small hoof by hoof large door/window that could be closed and appear as nothing more than another section of the wall or opened to reveal the joined rooms.

Satisfied, Trixie left the manor for a walk, all of this high born dignity was gradually putting her out like a candle.

Out in the stone courtyard just beyong the doors of the manor, Trixie came accross the stone steps where Lyra was leaning against the marble railing.

"Lyra? Were you sent to spy on me?" Trixie asked as she approached the mint green Uniorn.

"If I had, you'd be the best steal by now... you despise them don't you?" Lyra inquired, reffering to the many Lords and Ladies within the manor from the Queen's court.

Trixie frowned, "they don't leave me much of an alternative..."

The two walked side by side down the steps, "tell me Lyra... who is Madame Twilight?" she requested.

"why?" Lyra rose a bemused eyebrow.

"How many times have I... Bitten my tongue? Why do I snap at the only one of them who has been genuinely friendly?" Trixie answered with her own question.

Lyra tilted her head left and right while looking skyward, "well she's new at court, she still has her heart or so they say..."

They entered into the pool section of the manor where several mares practiced their instruments and dancing within the water and stage hands prepared for the continuing festivities of the morrow as well as ice carvers preparing the sculptures for the final day.

"good..." Trixie smiled.

"yes, but it better be perfect." Lyra commented, "Hoity is not in our camp, he's hostile to our Lady gaining influence in court."

XXXXX

Celestia entered into her husband's room and came face to face with the King who looked up from their bed.

Celestia gave a little curtsy before dropping her dog on a neaby floor cushion, "good night my King." she spoke sweetly before leaving their room.

Celestia made her into Twilight's room.

"Your majesty." Twilight greeted somewhat nervously having never been in a situation like this, and that reffered both to the current social obligation as well as sexual experience.

Celestia smiled suggestively, "Madame Twilight..."

The cups of liquid chocolate and rolled up waffles alongside tart fruits sat on a silver platter by the window.

XXXXX

Trixie fliped through the pages of her logbook, "I'm concerned about the fish..." she muttered as she checked her numbers, "I have sent to Ciep for an extra cartload incase their are storms."

"you are my general." Rarity spoke as she awkwardly made her way to a comfy chair without the use of her cane, "the battle plan is yours to decide." she sat as Vinyl came over and lifted Rarity's gout infested hoof onto a pillow, this was Rarity's only time of day where she was free of pain. "what else?"

"nothing." Trixie responded, "unless it rains, a couple of the stewards will have to sleep in the stable," she continued, "the rest should arrive in the morning." she finished.

"ah, very good." Rarity replied, "I'll leave it to you... go to bed my friend." she said suggested with a light chuckle.

Just as Trixie began to leave, Rarity stopped her, "Oh and Trixie... you did well." she said with a smile.

Trixie smiled back and left the room.

XXXXX

"good night... Madame..." Celestia said as she left Twilight's room.

The Unicorn mare stared down at her own reflection in a hand mirror, pondering over what she'd done...

XXXXX

"can you tell me where Trixie is?" Pipsqueak asked a nearby pony in the gardens. The new day was bright and beautiful.

"um... in there I think." the pony responded as he pointed towards an archway of stone beneath the manor.

Pip skampered on over until she caught sight of Trixie, "you sent for me Madame Trixie?" Pip asked in his small voice.

Trixie smiled as she cut a slice of raw raddish and handed it to Pip who then took a bite and made a face of disgust before spitting it out.

Trixie chuckled, "food for cattle, now we can feed them throughout the winter instead of needing to slaughter them every year.

The two found themselves on a wyvern drawn carriage bringing them through the gardens while Pip held a basked of pears in hs lap.

"how many varieties of pear are there?" Trixie asked.

"there are... five hundred different kinds of pear." Pip replied.

"this is the best one." Trixie said as she grabbed a pear from Pip's lap, "and its name is?"

"rondisían depare..." Pip attempted horribly to pronounce the proper name, but Trixie knew what he meant, "and?" she encouraged, "It was known... to the Romans!"

"Good!" Trixie praised.

"when I'm rich," Pip began, "I'd love a garden like yours."

Trixie laughed, "I hope so." she scruffled his mane, "I hope so..."

XXXXX

The two arrived within the kitchens with Pip carrying the load of pears, "you made a good choice Pip, the Queen will be pleased!" she said enthusiastically.

Pip hurried up the stairs to another section of the kitchens, "and don't leave the kitchen without my order! Pip!" Pipsqueak turned around and gave a nod to Trixie.

Trixie certainly wasn't going to allow any of Luna's goons to nab Pip on his way to the stables or the lake.

Trixie then came to see the crates that had recently been delivered, the vary crates that contained the lamps for the candles, one's specially ordered... and every one of them was shattered. Trixie held up a broken vase like lamp glass before dropping it into the box breaking not only itself but several other ruined lamp casings.

"they were badly packed! And the roads were bad..." The deliverer said melancholy.

Trixie grumbled silently to herself.

She only made a few steps through the kitchens when she was called, "Madame Trixie." Trixie turned to see Fancy Pants standing before her. "I am the valet of Marquee Hoity Toity." she spoke dignafied.

Trixie blinked, "my considerations..."

"thank you..."

The two ponies stared at one another for several moments.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Trixie knew what he was here for, she merely did not wish to comply. Hoity still wished for her to act as particéa in helping him woo Madame Twilight.

Trixie flinched slightly as she remembered Rarity's words.

Without speaking, she walked into the pastry section of the kitchens with Fancy Pants close behind.

Trixie sat at a chair and began using a glass blowing method to fashion sugar constructs in the shapes of flowers which she then coated various food colorings before placing them into a basket along with light green, almost white, grapes.

Soon a beautiful work of art sat before her. Trixie inspected it with her perfectionist eyes, "good..." she looked to her apprentice, "now a real flower! Give me the blue one." she pointed to a flower pot.

Pip ran over to grab it.

When Pip brought it back to Trixie, she spoke again, "Contrast and harmony, all beauty stems from those two things... you see Pip, few objects are truly beautiful or ugly in themselves, to know that is the beginning of being an artist. Ah, here!" she handed bouquete to Fancy Pants who took it and left the kitchens.

Trixie looked then to Pip, "now I'll show you a _real_ masterpiece!"

XXXXX

"Madame Twilight." Spike called as he brought a silver plate adorned with the bouquete including a note from Hoity Toity.

Twilight looked up from her bed as she ran her fingers along the bird cage of her canaries.

"it's from the Marquee Hoity Toity." Spike informed as he held the bouquete.

Trwilight's face of curiosity turned into a light scowl, "send it back." she said bluntly before lying back down in her bed.

Spike returned the plater to Fancy Pants, "she doesn't want it." he revealed.

Fancy nodded before the Dragon closed the door. Spiked walked back over to Twilight's bed, "will you keep me with you when you're a Duchess?" he inquired.

Twilight chuckled, "let's see if I am to be a Duchess... or just a night's divertisment to keep Madame Cadence on her hooves... or on her kneese." she poked her nuckle at her bird cage with a few clicking noises.

XXXXX

Out in one of the coutyards within a giant pony built pool for the second day's festivities, several of Luna's friends made asses of themselves as they wailed about in some foolish game or another while messing with the props. "I'm in love!" one of them cried mockingly as he leaned against the collasile wooden prop of a whale, "with a fish!" laughter broke out amongst the Night Guard.

Fancy Pants made his way to Hoity Toity, "Misioure Hoity? Misioure Hoity."

Hoity Toity turned around, "... what?" he drawled out.

"she refused it Misioure Hoity." Facny informed.

Hoity looked down at the artistic creation, "... that's rather beautiful hmm..." he looked arond at the various nobel born, "send it to... Duchess Photo Finish." he finished.

"with the note?" Facny inquired.

"ofcourse, there's far too much waste in this contry!" Hoity jabbed his finger in Fancy's nose.

Photo stood talking with a few other ponies when the bouquete arrived causing her to gasp in astonishment.

XXXXX

"Madame I'm fearful there won't be enough meat." Vinyl said in slight panic as she followed Trixie through the kitchens.

Trixie didn't seem to hear her as she made her way through the kitchen and tasted some of the foods to ensure their quality of flavor.

"Madame I'm really worried about the meat, we have scarcely enough!" Vinyl repeated when she caugt up to Trixie. The blue mare seemed to ignore her as she made her way to the stairs, "Madame Trixie!" Vinyl pleaded.

"MADAME TRIXIE!" another pony roared gaining everypony's attention, "Madame Trixie the Queen's sister, she's playing with the whale!"

Trixie hurried her way out of the kitchens to the coutyards by the pool.

XXXXX

When Trixie arrived, she was whitness to two of Luna's guard ontop of the whale while the others attempted to stab it with their swords like it was a living monster terrorizing the city.

From atop the tail of the whale, Nightwing cried out in over dramatic agony, "the monster must! Not! Get away!" he put his hand to his chest now mocking a recent play, "here is my heart! It is neigh a hand should strike! Oh!" he leaned over the tail in a mock tragedy fashion.

More Night guards poked the construction with their blades as Trixie rushed her way up to the scene.

Trixie observed the now ruined whale before turning to the Night Guard.

Luna herself stepped up, "your ponies are so careless, they've quite spoiled our pleasure." she stated in that mysterious voice, a combination of seduction, innocent playfullness, and mature sincerity.

Trxie did her best not to glare at the Princess, "my ponies had orders to... to wait for me, the whale was intended for the Queen's pleasure." she replied.

"The Queen?" Luna asked thoroughly amused, "that's a shame, we Canterlot Ponies are... unpredictable when deprived of our... pleasure." many Night Guard began giggling but Luna wasn't done, "you're a stubborn mare Master stewardess... Admirable..."

The two mares stared at one another for a few moments before Luna abruptly turned and left with her possy close behind, "Wyvern racing!" she declared cheerfully.

Trixie shook her head in beligerance before turning to a servant, "get that carcass out of the water." she demanded while gesturing to the whale.

XXXXX

"for your mistress." Vinyl spoke as she handed Spike a very tall cloudy white vase with a humble yet beautiful set of flowers in them.

Spike carefully brought them to Twilight who sat in a chair by the window reading one of her coveted books, "must be from the Queen," Spike began, "there's a note." he finished.

Twilight took the note and opened it just as Spike stumbled slightly and therefore droping the vase which shattered upon the ground.

Spike gasped and Twilight had a start. Spike felt tears begining to well up in his eyes feeling that he'd somehow spoiled everything.

"It's alright Spike," Twilight affirmed, "it's alright."

Spike nodded with a snifle and knelt down to the ground and began to pick the pieces up, "... it's sugar..."

Twilight finally got to reading the note:

*Madame, you were kind to one who turned away kindness, such gift as I have, I employ for your forgiveness.

Trixie Lulamoon.*

Twilight looked out the window to the clouds.

XXXXX

Hundreds of ponies both common and nobel filled out through hunting groups and parties as they prepared to leave for a sporting hunt through the Everfree Forest.

As Blueblood's carriage passed by Trixie he called out, "Master stewardesss, do you promise a sport?" he asked entusiastically.

"yes, there will be sport!" Trixie replied.

Blueblood gave a giggle of excitement, "I smell blood!"

"I promise you there will be blood." Trixie affirmed.

Trxie stood next to Lyra as they watched carriage after carriage file out from the manner towards the forest with dozens of blood hounds.

Lyra turned to Trixie, "they say Twilight's stock is rising, she spent the night in her majesty's bed." she commented.

Trixie deadpanned, "does everypony know who sleeps with the Queen!" she turned around and began walking with her mood quite soured.

"ofcourse everypony knows!" Lyra began to laugh, "sometimes you can be quite ridiculous my dear Trixie."

The hunt commenced within the forest, deer fleed for their lives as the blood hounds chased them down and within the camp area, Hoity leaned against a tree before spotting Twilight standing indignantly by her lonesome.

The stallion walked over to join her, "you find the day more exciting than the night Madame?" he asked almost mockingly.

Twilight didn't so much as look at him.

"you sent back my gift, _and_ my letter." Toity continued with an agravated tone in his voice, "you think the Queen intends to keep you?"

"perhaps not Hoity," Twilight began still looking away from the stallion, "but from the Queen's bed to yours is a long fall and I'll not be contemplating it in this life." she said sharply before leaving his company.

XXXXX

Vinyl huffed as she waded through the hurrying ponies attempting to get everything ready for the feast, "we need to prepare incase the storm's c-" a servant crashed into her spilling a few eggs along the ground.

"Pick thi up!" Vinyl cried, "somepony help him!" Many of the servants laughed and made chicken noises.

vinyl groaned as she made her way over to Trixie, "Madame Trixie the pies, there's really not enough meat we're two tables short, they gave us the wrong numbers!"

Trxixie nodded and looked around the kitchen before spotting a cook carrying a large bowl of gravy, an idea hit her, "Bring me that!" she took the bowl and placed it on a table before looking to Vinyl, "bring me some mushrooms!"

Vinyl turned to a few servants, "arboi! Arboi! Bring me some mushrooms!"

XXXXX

Nobel ponies were seated around a card game within the auditorium, although nothing about said cardgame was trivial by any means, it was infact a vary delicate social event that could brighten or darkent the Queen's mood and therefore her opinion of Rarity.

A nobel leaned in towards his friend, "Rarity has won fourty thousand pistols from the Queen!" he nearly chuckled out.

"Rarity must be furious!" they laughed.

The Queen at the card table chuckled, "by loosing a little you might of won more, by winning a little you might lose everything." laughes spread throughout the room.

Hoity rolled his eyes as he treturned to the Victorian pool table and struck another ball.

Lyra stood nearby, "has my Lady lost her shatoú?" she pondered.

"not if she plays her cards wrong." Hoity quiped.

Back by the card table, Filty Rich threw his cards onto the table as he folded and then bowed to Celestia, "your majesty." he said before leaving.

Twilight sat on a couch beside a few nobel mares and coudln't help but take notice of the various stares she was garnishing as well as a few whispered voices speaking her name, oh yes, talk of her night with the Queen had spread quite fast.

Twilight shifted uncomfortable in her seat.

Hoity struck another ball before sitting down in a couch next to Filty Rich.

Rich looked through a list of papers, "Rarity's demands are excessive... outrageous." he commented.

Hoity smiled, "you mean she knows her price? Ofcourse _if_ there were to be a war..."

Rich nodded, "but as of yet there is no war, our envoys from Griffonia may well return with terms that we can accept. I would prefer that, it is not _rational_ for two wealthy countries to go to war."

Hoity turned to Rich, "my dear Rich, destiny is not ruled by reason, lust for power like any lust," he began as he looked towards Twilight accross the room, "is seated in -at least according to recent medical knowledge- in the liver..." he trailed off.

Twilight rose from her seat and made her way over to a window.

"although... personally," Hoity spoke again, "that hasn't been my experience."

wilight looked out the window to see Trixie in the stormy air readying everything and seing a furious wind blowing all of her preparations to the wind, ponies raced to catch papers and props in a futile attempt to save all they could.

Twilight walked outside into the gale.

The wind died down causing Trixie to looke around in shock, the clouds overhead dissapeared revealing the sun.

Trixie saw Twilight leave towards the garden trees and caught up to her.

"... Madame?" she asked softly, Twilight leaned against a tree with her mane desheveled and her figure a bit distraught, it looked like she had been crying.

"Madame... Madame please..." Trixie put a hand on Twilight's shoulder, the Unicorn shuddered as she sat down on a nearby stone bench.

"why are you here Madame?" Trixie inquired.

"I just needed to... escape from them for a moment.

"here, have an envision of this, it will restore you." Trixie said as she held out a hankerchief.

Twilight sniffled as she looked up to Trixie, "I wanted the wind to stop blowing... I made it stop..." she managed.

Trixie smiled, "oh, I thought it was the gods."

Twilight finally mananged to smile herself, "than perhaps... it was the gods that provided me." their eyes met and they shared a moment of comforting companionable silence.

Twilight frowned as she turned back to the manor, "is it so important?" she asked as she gestured her head towards the props of the stage.

Trixie looked to them herself and back, "it is no small thing to please a Queen Madame."

Twilight gave a rueful laugh with her tears still wet on her face, "please a Queen?! It is easilly done... and of no importance..." she looked down slightly disgusted at herself.

Trixie frowned, "but as a stewardess I have it in my power to save the house of Lady Rarity."

Twilight looked up from her melancholy, "what power do you have?"

Trixie smiled, "to create." she looked up at all of the decorations and festivities that she had solely designed, "to astonish." she smiled back down at Twilight, "the visit of her majesty is a supreme test, if I please her benevolance than she will restore my Lady to her former position and the destiny of Equestria."

Twilight chuckled as she shook her head, "so the destiny of Equestrie is in you hands Madame? That would be a great suprise to the Queen's minister" she laughed.

Looking back up at Trixie, Twilight's face went emotionless again, "... I must go back" she rose and turned towards the manor but not before giving Trixie one last look. Then she left.

Trixie stood in the garden, slightly confused by the array of emotions flowing through her at that moment.

Twilight whiped her face as she made her way through the exit of the guardens but just as she was about to relax, she caught a glimpse of Fancy Pants just as a servant broke the line of sight between the two and then he was gone.

Twilight looked cautiously around...

XXXXX

In the meat preperation area of the kitchen, a cheff scooped the gravy and mushroom mixture that Trixie had prepared into a meat basked made of delicious bread.

Vinyl rushed through the area and stopped by the cheff to stick her finger in the mixture and taste it to find that it was different but not bad at all.

The cheff furrowed his brows, "what kind of meat is this?" he asked.

"Human!" Vinyl said pleasantly before passing by to find Trixie.

When she finally found her goal, Vinyl stepped up to the silver maned Unicorn, "there's no news about the lanterns... more than half the eggs are addle, we can't make the custard!" she exclaimed.

Trixie gave a 'hmm' as she racked her brain for improvisations.

Stopping by the pastry area, she turned to Vinyl and held her finger up, "watch." she said before grabbing a bowl and scooping a white pastry goup into the bowl and handing it to Vinyl, "come." Trixie insisted before moving to the other side of the pastry kitchen.

There she grabbed the bowl from Vinyl and scooped up some sugar into the goop before mixing it furiously with a whisk and handing it to Vinyl, "the sugar will come out like beaten egg whites." she said as she turned to attend to other matters of the kitchen, "don't forget the appricots!" she warned to one of the cheffs, "ofcourse Madame." they responded in kind.

"lanterns, lanterns..." Trixie mumbled ot herself as she stepped towards a pumpkin carver and looked at the emptied shells, she held one up as possibilities ran through her mind. Dropping the pumpkin shell, she moved over to Vinyl and stuck her finger in the mix to taste of it, "... if they ask you what it is, tell them it's an old recipee from Shauteíe." with that, she turned and left the room, "don't cut any more pumpkins!" she shouted out to the carver.

Inside of a secluded area, Trixie looked at the pumpkins...

Within minutes she had cut them in half and carved out semi circle cresent shapes along the domes before placing a candle inside of it. Trixie smiled, with a few decorations they could be passed off as something exotic.

"Madame?" a voice called.

"who is it?" Trixie snapped as she turned away to see a purple dragon with green spikes, "Madame Trixie." he repeated.

"don't be afraid come in." Trixie gesutred.

Spike shuffled in and handed a note to Trixie, "My Lady, she... she asked me to stay until I've seen you read it."

Trxie nodded and handed the half pumpkin over to Spike as she took the note.

Spike looked at the various pumpkin lanterns and smiled, "this is so pretty, what a strange idea!" he giggled.

Trixie nodded absently, "custom from India." she spoke as she opened the letter:

*your kindness to me shows a nobler heart than any at court where they know only hunter and prey. Use your powers to protect yourself. Beware Hoity Toity.*

Trixie shufled in place; then she looked to Spike, "please, thank your Lady." she handed the note to her.

Trixie then looked over the various lanterns, personal feelings mingled with duty as she attempted aggressively to sort everything in her mind.

XXXXX

Servants prepared everything outside for the fireworks show while members of court began finishing their leisurely games in the auditorium.

Trixie fiddled with her clock in her room as she attempted to get the hands to obey her but they seemed intent on rebelling against her whims.

Settling for merely turning the hands on the clock to where they should be and closing the glass case, Trixie sighed, "I stink from head to hoof." she groaned as she began taking her clothes off and heading to her bathtub.

Lyra sat in a chair testing out a strange alchoholic drink, "well this is good... I don't know it..." she attempted to no avail to place the taste of the drink.

"It's made from wallnuts!" Trixie called out from the bathroom as she sat in the water, "what did you want?"

Lyra chewed on her lip, "Madame sent me, the Queen's sister... It's not an easy embassy, um... your name's on everypony's lips you know, this banquete will be decisive. Your genius is... heh..." Lyra stalled.

"get to the point!" Trixie demanded as she finished her soak.

"The Princess... wants you for her friend... she admires... well she admires you." Lyra spoke uncomfortably.

Trixie was now fitting herself into a new change of clothes.

"To speak quite frankly she admires everything about you so... what she wasnt from you is uh..." Lyra took a deep drink of her cup, "... everything..." she finished bluntly.

Trixie paused... then she exited the bathroom in her undershirt and a new set of pants, "do I hear you right?" she asked.

Lyra flinched slightly, "what do you hear?" she asked meekly.

Trixie deadpaned, "that Luna has sent you to ask me to join a long line of stablecolts, servant lasses, and bards who she has honored so... intamitely?"

Lyra flinched again, "yes your hearing is ah, very good heh..."

Trixie didn't look amused, "tell the Princess, I once knew a cardinal who said, there is no soul so weak that it cannout aquire absolute power over passions." she spoke with reverancy before turning to her wardrobe.

Lyra shifted in her seat, "the Princess is not a cardinal... she only wants a few moments of your time."

Trixie finished putting on a new over coat, "then send her a message, which reveals more of me than she would ever see under the covers of a bed. Tell her, we are both cursed to crave for the material things... the desire for the abolute... the sublime... the perfect... that's why she fleets from pony to pony... and that's why I give myself to nopony." she finished with a tinge of melancholy to her voice.

Lyra ramained silent for a few moments, "and what about Rarity? How long do think it will take before this reaches her ears?" she asked with a bit of a sharp tongue.

"long if you don't tell her." Trixie quiped.

Lyra dropped her had with a groaning sigh, "my dear Trixie... we all go around together like a celestial machine. The sun Queen is at the center, Rarity is one of her planets and I am Rarity's moon, do you really think there's a place for stand off with me?"

Trixie cringed slightly, Lyra held a valid point.

Lyra nodded the affrimation, "naturally I must speak to Rarity about this, not to do so would be... self important..."

END OF CHAPTER!

Review if you liked! Reviews feed me like sugar does Pinkie Pie!


	3. Requiem, final chapter

Chapter 3, Requiem

Bon Bon carried a bird cage filled with Twilight's canaries through the outside preparation area of the fireworks show.

"why do you have Twilight's birds?" Trixie demanded as she caught sight of Bon Bon.

"I got them from Madame Twilight." Bon Bon responded.

"but why?" Trixie responded.

"I'm saving them for the banquete." Bon Bon answered.

"for the banquete?!" Trxie asked incredulously.

"yes you know, incase Lady Rarity requires something for her gout." Bon Bon spoke in kind.

"but why?" Trixie asked.

"well, Lord Blueblood asked for her to sacrifice her canaries, she refused. So! Lord Blueblood told her majesty. And she commanded Twilight to give them to me." Bon Bon set the cage down nearby, the night sky bringing out the heat and colors of the various torches and candles nearby.

Trixie tested a few assortments of foods here and there.

Bon Bon looked back at the cage, "ah, the canaries... their hearts are so small, I don't think they'll do much to ease our Lady's pain..." Bon Bon looked to the various goods around the area, "see all this rich food it's very bad for his gout."

Trixie turned to the Earth Pony, "I can't make her an omlet to celebrate the visit of the Queen of Equestria." she snaped.

"well it's not your fault!" Bon Bon said defensively, "I just wish we had some better birds that's all..."

Trixie paused, "... I have my parrots..."

Bon Bon blinked, "but surely Trixie, you'll not sacrif-" "if our Lady's pain gets too great to bear, send to get my parots. Tell Blueblood that Twilight's canaries are too small."

Vinyl walked over, Trixie turned to her, "return those birds to Madame Twilight."

Horns sounded throughout the garden signalling the beginning of the nightly show.

Nobels sat at several dozen hoof long tables, "Rarity is lucky, this banquete would shame a roman emperor!" one of them commented.

As Hoity passed by, the Lord who'd spoken garnerd his attention, "who is this Trixie? Where does she come from?"

Hoity's eye twitched, "nowhere really, the slums of Paris, she was apprenticed to Ebonheart I believe..."

One of the Photo Finish gawked, "Ebonheart? From the Sanguanie? My mother swore by Ebonheart's."

Hoity scowled, "so did your father I believe, although I don't think he went there for the pastries."

Trixie walked past but Hoity stopped her, "ah Trixi, I was just telling the Duchess here, about your fillyhood days in they uh, brothels of Sanguanie." he said curtly.

Trixie didn't falter, "it's quite true, nopony knows more about the brothels on the east Sanguanie than the Marquee Hoity Toity." she said with a smile before leaving.

Several Lords and Ladies began giggling.

Photo Finish outright laughed, "I think she's just insulted you but it's hard to tell, that's a rare gift! If you punish her for it, I'll tell everypony about your secret perversion!" she laughed out.

Trixie made her way over to Vinyl, "fetch Bon Bon." she commanded as she walked around to the back stage.

Over by the made table of the nobel ponies, Celestia picked up one of the pumpkin lanterns, "from India? How beautiful, ingineous, I have learnt something today; which is rare."

Rarity just smiled and nodded.

Cadence gave suggestive smile to Celestia which she returned.

Over backstage, actors and servants shuffled through the area.

Bon Bon made her way over to Trixie who was clutching her chest and heaving, "you sent for me Trixie?!" she said in a worried tone, fearing that she'd been injured.

"I need something!" Trixie exclaimed.

"are you in pain?" Bon Bon asked.

"no, i'm suffering from great anxiety!" Trixie answered.

Bon Bon laughed, "anxiety? I don't have anything for anxiety, I'm a medical alchemist!"

Trixie looked to Bon Bon with an abashed face that screemed, 'what?'.

"Trixie!" a stagehand called out from behind. Trixie grunted as she clutched her chest and attempted some more smooth deep breaths.

Trixie rushed over to the voice while ushering actors into their proper places, "go, go, go!" finally she arrived at the source of the voice, Luna sat on the edge of a carp pool.

"and now, for you!" the Princess called to one of the Night Guards after throwing some crumbs of bread into the pool, "and one! And two, and three, and four, and more, and more, and more!" she chucked crumb after crumb into the Pegasus' mouth as he attempted to catch them, the whole possy began laughing joyously.

"I am the steward of the carp!" more laughing.

Luna turned to Trixie, "they tell me these are called love carp." she turned and threw another piece into the pool which signaled two of her guards two start guessing making "wieny, wieny, wieny." sounds.

Luna stood up and walked next to Trixie, "Lyra gave me your message." she began, her voice turning uncharacteristically serious. "you understand me like, none of my friends understand me. I hope you find your proffession... I know; I'm looking in the wrong place. But when I despair, I shall remember, there was a mare who looked into my soul." and with that she returned to her normal quirky self and walked over to her friends, "sport! I demand there shall be a race! Between, Nightwing!" Nightwing raised his hand with a cheerful cry, "and the carp! Nightwing, now!" the Night Guard lauged as their commander hopped into the pool.

XXXXX

The show finally began within the giant pool from once the whale had been removed. Fireworks flared out into the air and ponies cheered their applause as an opera singer was hoisted into the air on a chair strapped to several stage wires.

Trixie looked on from the stage and saw everything going as planed, sparkler flares erupted in a synchronised pattern along the tables of the nobel ponies, through her spyglass she observed the Queen and her court clapping and smiling at the spectacle.

"Madame Trixie," Vinyl called, "the Wyverns are ready."

Trixie looked around through the stage mirrors to the opera singer who's chair now emmited its own fireworks as it was hoisted into the air by the work wyverns who pulled on the ropes from backstage.

The chair lifted through and over the pool area as the opera continued her bout of song when a rogue firework's sparks landed near one of the wyverns and thouroughly firghtened it causing it to begin a stampede.

Trixie saw the suspended chair begin to shake a bit and turned to see the panicking wyvern, he rushed over to help just as the pully system was ripped off from the stage frame.

The opera singer's chair shook furiously for a moment nearly throwing her off but she managed to stay on and continue her song regardless.

A stagehand tried to grab the ropes but they got tangled around his torso and when the pankicked wyvern began to make a mad dash forward, the rope tightened and moved up until it synched around his neck and chocked him as he was dragged off onto his back.

The pony's body hit the water backstage and the friction of the constricting rope riped through his throat, blood began to fill the water as the wyvern ran into the pool and slipped.

The opera ended with a passionete note, fireworks flared into the sky as the stagehand was lifted a few hooves above the water dangling from the noose.

Backstage, Trixie and Bon Bon rushed to pull the rope off but it was much too late, the stallion was dead.

The Nobels clapped and applaud as they whitnessed the end of the opera. Trixie looked around at the end of the show with the dead stallion at her hooves.

Out in the seats of the court members, Celestia clapped, "what a wonderful spectacle!" she turned to Rarity, "Rarity, who is responsible for these marvels?"

"My stewardess, your majesty." Rarity replied.

"And what is her name?" the Queen inquired.

"Tixie Lulamoon."

The Queen signaled Hoity Toity to come near. The stallion soon stood by the Queen's side.

"Bring me this, Trixie. I would like to congradulate her." she commanded.

Hoity nodded before leaving.

Backstage a few bodies had dragged the dead pony's body out of the water.

"Sixteen thousand pounds of flares and rockets gone up in smoke to kill a brute!" Trixie snarled out.

Vinyl made her way over to Trixie, "the Queen wishes to speak to you." she informed.

Trixie scowled, "not now Vinyl, does she think all this happens by itself?!" she exclaimd before stomping off, "I want everything cleared up by dawn! Understand?!" she added in a near rage filled voice.

The spectacles outside had all of the court members filled with astonishment.

Near the side of the stage, Trixie walked over to Lyra, "is it Friday already?" she asked.

"nearly." Lyra answered.

"I must tell the mariner to look out for the fish, the rodes are bad." she said remembering the delivery of broken glass.

At last the spectacle ended with a finally of awe inspiring fireworks that had everypony gasping in 'ooh's and 'ahh's.

XXXXX

Through one of the archways, Trixie and a few other ponies where rushing the dead stallion's body through a tunnel, "does he have any familly?" one of them asked, "yes, we must send a messanger to tell them." they hurried through, while still staying forcused on their main task, this night was not yet over...

XXXXX

Within the auditorium, another game of cards insued.

"Hoity?" Luna called as she saw the stallion pass through, "are you on your way Hoity?"

The stallion stopped in his tracks and turned to the Princess, "The Queen has called for Trixie, she's refused to come, claims she's too busy. Madame." he gave a flourish of a bow and turned to leave but once again, Luna stopped him.

"Hoity? I'll pass her message on to the Queen." she said with a sly smile.

Hoity's eye twitched, he intended for this to be a perfect excuse to infuriate the Queen enough to ensure that Rarity never moved up in political power. But it seemed Trixie had made friends in very high places.

The stallion turned around and walked closer to the Princess, "my dear Madame, the Queen did ask _me_ to se-" his insubordination was halted in its tracks as Luna's gaze pierced through his soul, everything around him seemed to fade away until he was in a room of pure darkness with a spot light cast upon only him and Luna who's eyes were now teal with catslit pupils.

Luna's voice came out not in her usual teasing manner but in a terrifyingly demonic raspy caw, "**we weren't giving a suggestion. As we said, we shall pass the message onto our sister and that is the endtime of it, dost thou understand?**" Space color and time all felt distorted, Hoity's body temperature dropped dozens of degrees below normal and he trembled in an uncontrollable alien fear.

"y-yes!" he chocked out.

"good!" Luna said pleasantly in her normal voice, the room was back to normal, colorful paintings and nobel ponies bustling about among their luxuries and the pleasant tunes of violin in the background.

Hoity fell to his hands and kneese as he gasped for air.

Many of the Night Guard laughed and gave praise to clapping their hands.

Mentally traumatized, Hoity fled the room.

XXXXX

outside by the manor gates, three Unicorns came riding in on wyverns.

"halt!" one of the more dutiful Night Guard called as he held up his hand, "what is your business here?"

"We are the Queen's messengers! Envoys from Griffonia!"

XXXXX

Back in the auditorium, Celestia, Luna, and Rarity were locked in a card game and the stakes continued to rise, ofcourse this was but nothing to the royal sisters, they had insurmountable amounts of wealth to throw away.

Rarity however was only able to play with her vast winnings form the previous games of which she'd mostly gotten lucky at, although years of guile and dextrous skill definitely helped.

Trixie in a nearby room saw that everything was well attended to and therefore felt there was no need to stick around any longer, she nearly passed out however as she felt her strength leave her; she'd been putting so much brutality on her body and mind these past few days and it was starting to catch up to her.

"are you OK Madame?" Vinyl asked with worry evident in her voice.

Trixie gave a weak nod before leaving the room.

At the card game however, things were just beginning to heat up.

"how many orange trees to we have?" Celestia asked Filthy Rich.

"one hundred thousand your majesty." he answered.

Celestia chuckled, "and onehundred in silver tubs. Canterlot is my favorite mistress." a series of laughes filled the room.

Next to Luna stood Nightwing, next to Celestia sat Cadence, and next to Rarity stood her husband Blueblood.

"perhaps that's why she costs you so much." Cadence quiped.

Celestia tapped the Alicorn's nose with her cards, she then turned to Rarity, "what are you staking Rarity?"

Rarity looked down at the coins infront of her, "ten Loui." she answered as she pushed the coins forthwith.

"Ten Loui?" Celestia said with a nod, "... how many founains do we have Rich?"

"one and a half thousand your majesty." he replied.

Luna looked around at her pile of uniquely formed gems that could be found nowhere else in Equestria other than specific and extremely dangerous areas to traverse.

Smiling, Luna picked up one particularly large green gem completly flawless and seated within a white gold frame attatched to a silver chain necklace, "for sole soverienty of Canterlot for a year if I loose, for something of yours if I win; a glove perhaps." she wagered as she tossed the priceless necklace into the center of the table. The spectatores applauded her boldness.

It was ofcourse a bit of a joke since Luna hardly had any true politcal control over Canterlot anyway but this was merely a game to them so it mattered not.

Celestia smirked, "hmm but one glove isn't good to anypony no... no..." she looked around before resting her eyes on Cadence, she then plucked the tiara encrusted with diamonds from an asteroid from her head earning a series of amused laughes from the Nobel ponies in the room as she tossed the tiara into the wager pot.

Cadence's eye twitched slightly.

"well Rarity?" Celestia asked expectantly as she turned to the Nobelmare.

"I..." Rarity began at a loss for words for perhaps the first time in her life, "I have nothing to add to match the glory of Canterlot your majesty." she laughed out humbly with a blush.

"But that's not true," Celestia countered, "you have something rarer than celestial diamonds. You have your master of pleasures."

Rarity could have sworn that she'd swallowed her own throat, "m-majesty?"

Celestia continued, "Trixie is worthy of a larger stage and Canterlot could use a mare of her gifts." she stated matter of factly.

Rarity blinked as she forgot to breath, "Y-you're asking me to stake... m-my master stewardess on-on a card game?" she asked almost as if Celestia had asked her to grow another head.

Cesltia gestured with her hand to the bounty of treasure before them, "well do you have any objections? Look at what you might win!"

A few laughes insued.

Rarity seemed to be fighting a mental break down as her eye and ear twitched.

Hoity stared intently at the scene.

Nobel ponies all around began watching Rarity fervently waiting for an answer.

Twilight stood by idly watching and waiting for Rarity's response.

Blueblood noticed that his wife had completely and utterly frozen, "we'll take the bet!" he spoke for her.

Rarity still sat frozen.

"are we playing or not?" Celestia asked with all pleasantness leaving her voice.

Rarity looked around, she knew there was no backing out of this now, "very well."

Clapping from all around insued. Twilight seemed to almost cringe in disgust.

Hoity smirked slightly.

"then we'll play!" Celestia exclaimed.

Filthy Rich leaned in towards Celestia, "majesty, our envoys from Griffonia are here."

Celestia smiled, then they come at an interesting moment.

Luna looked at her cards, "well." she folded, "it's between you two." she stated with a coy smile.

Celestia turned to Rarity with a smirk, "my Lady..."

Rarity felt like an animal trapped by its natural predator, her heart pounded in her chest as she shakilly held up her cards, "... black Queen..."

Celestia smiled triumphantly, "bad luck." she layed down her own cards and Rarity's heart sank.

Cadence reached forward to grab the tiara but Celestia smacked her hand and stood up, "the envoys." she affirmed to the messenger.

The nobels gave bows and curtsys to the Queen as she left the room.

Rarity sat in her chair unmoving. She'd just lost Trixie... a friend... in a card game...

XXXXX

Nobels awaited for the Queen to finish her councile with the envoys, meanwhile ponies spoke amongst themselves.

"If she returns smiling than it will mean peace with Griffonia hm?" Nightwing asked a neaby nobel.

"No, if she returns smiling it will mean war." he corrected.

Nightwing did a mock gasp of apalment, "war! How gastly!" he turned to Luna, "what do you think Madame?"

Luna laughed, "oh certainly one or the other, also if she returns frowning."

XXXXX

Rarity headed into the council room where only two ponies were present, Filthy Rich, and Celestia.

Rich sat cracking some wallnuts while Celstia idly scooped up some ice cream form a small cup-like bowl.

"your majesty..." Rarity greeted.

"Rarity!" Celestia called her over to the table, "what are your opinions of war?"

Rarity made her way over slowly while limping on her cane as her gout burned at her hoof, "I have seen... too much of the distraction majesty."

Filthy Rich chose now to speak up, "Bricklebeak Orange has declined the marriage with the daughter of Lord Mustang and her majesty." he spoke as he idly cracked the nuts.

Celestia continued to poke her spoon at the ice cream, "galliantly telling us that his familly only marries the legitamite daughters of Queens... not their bastards."

Rarity nodded uncomfortably due to her pain, "I see..."

Rich continued his own informative speech, "furthermore, Bricklbeak has now ordered the printing of coins with the image of the sun."

Apparently Bricklebeak was so confident in his vitory upon an upcoming war, that he was already anticipating ruling the lands of Equestria.

Rarity shifted, "that is impersonant..."

Celestia spoke next, "he's commisioned an oil painting of one of my flag ships sinking."

Rarity once again shifted, "... with your permission... I will drown him in one of his dykes you majesty..."

Celestia seemed to ponder it for a bit before getting up to leave.

Rarity sat down at the Queen's absence and cringed severely from the massive pain and discomfort of her gout.

Filthy Rich continued to eat his wallnets, "the decision of a general between the suitors is to be decided tomorrow... although I don't think you should be worried, after all you have the Queen under your roof... and Trixie to manage your festivities." Rich too left the room.

XXXXX

Ponies filed through Trixie's room as they grasped her parrots, "no wait! Just leave me this one." the mare quickly got in.

Vinyl and Bon Bon nodded as they grabbed the other two.

XXXXX

Twilight entered into her room causing Spike to sit up.

The Unicorn looked towards the Dragon, "his majesty?" she inquired.

"Asleep Madame." Spike replied.

Twilight looked around as she heard the sound of her canaries chirping, her eyes widened in shock as she rushed over to them.

"They were brought back, orders of Madame Trixie." Spike informed.

Twilight's mouth twitched into a small smile.

"Would you like me to undress you Madame?" Spike offered.

"no..." Twilight made up her mind, there were things she needed to do tonight, things she needed to know. Things she needed to say.

To a certain mare.

XXXXX

Bon Bon grasped the panicked bird as she brought it into a room seperate from Rarity's apartments and got to work on removing its heart.

"fortune seems to be with us," Rarity spoke as she held a cup of herbal tea with her gout infested hoof resting on a pillow, "war with Griffonia. Theres slim pickings between me and Colbort, but she'll pick me I think; she'll make an announcement at the banquete tomorrow." she brought her cup to her mouth with both shaky hands, "everything must be perfect."

Trixie nodded, "everything will be perfect my Lady." she assured.

"We've always understood eachother... You're a great mare Trixie." Rarity spoke as the dripping heart of the parrot was brought into the room by Bon Bon.

"You'll end up as a vecon one day." Rarity insisted.

Trixie flinched slightly as she watched the heart of her bird be crushed in Bon Bon's hand so that the blood squeesed from it drizzled onto the gout, a discomforting grinding of meat sounded throughout the room.

"you have heard?" Rarity pondered.

"heard?" Trixie said, puzzled.

"The queen wants you at Canterlot." Rarity answered, she'd had pleanty of time to come up with a reasonable lie/excuse that sounded so much better than 'I forked you over in a card game, so sorry about that...'

"Canterlot?" Trixie asked almost horrifed, the faces of all the ponies she'd come to know and carefore throughout the manor, all the servants she'd formed frindships with and families she'd brought back from the brink of bankruptcy all flashed through her mind.

Rarity grunted as more of the heart was squished into her gout.

"b-but..." Trixie attempted.

"The Queen," Rarity butted in as she overcame her physical and emotional pain, "the Queen wishes to honor you GAH!" Rarity pouned her fist against the chair arm.

Bon Bon cooed as she began wapping the lined around the gout now covered in mashed bird heart.

"I can't..." Trixie spoke as she walked closer, "I cannot leave my ponies..." she then left the room.

Lyra followed her out of the room.

Trixie walked through the kitchens somewhat distraught as she saw a hoof sticking out from under a table, kneeling down she found a sleeping Pip, the sight made her smile; but also reminded her of the news she had just been dealt.

Frowning, she left the kitchens and entered into the late night courtyard.

Walking through a tunnel, she heard some noises from behind her, snapping her eyes around she found nothing. With her heart beating a little faster, she hurried through the archway holding her travel lantern.

Fancy Pance stood watching from behind a series of bushes as Trixie made her way to an un attended wyvern drawn carriage filled with cabbages.

"yiieelp!"

Trixie turned around at the sudden and bizaar noise.

"Yiieelp!"

Trixie turned around again but this time saw a pony in a masquerade bal mask holding a long wooden stick.

Another pony of the same disposition came up from behind Trixie and poked her with the stick, the two assailants continuing their idiotic sounds.

Both ponies began poking her now until one of them spoke, "we have a present for you, from the Marquee Hoity Toity!" A third asailiant entered into the picture.

Trixie swung her lantern and bashed it into one of the attacker's heads, another attacker struck her back with the club ccausing her to pile forward into the carriage.

She grabbed one of the cabbages and turned around to toss it at one of her attackers but one of the assailants got behind her and began chocking her with the club, "we'll teach you to step above your station!"

A group of ponies came around the corner while clapping their hands, "alright, let her go in the name of the Queen."

The assailants turned to see Luna's rumbunctious members of the Night Guard including Nightwing.

The Night Guard walked casually up to the attackers and one of the Pegasi twirled a towelet around in the air infront of one attacker's face before dropping it and jabbing the attacker in the eyes with his fingers.

The attacker let out a yelp as the others prepared for a fight.

The Night Guard drew their cutlasses and rapiers as Nightwing stood at the front, "preparation! Cut, and lunge!" he ordered out. The Night Guard systematicaly slashed the attackers eyes with their swords causing them permanant blindness and nocking them to the ground before sticking their blades down into their hands.

"excellent! Edward?" Said pony stabbed one of the attackers who began to recover straight in the leg causing him to fall to one knee.

"Loui?" said pony poked the attacker's lower back with his blade.

"Jung?" said pony slashed his arm, the attacker spun around in dazed circles from the corriagraphied combat.

"and wrist!" a hack at the attacker removed his hand causing a spew of blood to flow out onto the ground, the attacker wailed in agony as he fell.

"Bravo! Excellent!" Nightwing congradulated, "and now open..." he turned away from the attacker's leader whome he had at sword point.

The attacker took the opportunity to lunge at Nightwing who immediately turned back and impailed the stallion.

Trixie cringed at the carnage before her.

Nightwing looked to the remaining attacker who cowered before him, "tell Hoity, enough!" the Pegasus then kicked the stallion in the mouth knocking both him and most of his teeth, out.

Nightwing then turned to Trixie, "her highness the Queen's sister presents her compliments Madame Trixie, she requests us to escort you to your apartment."

Trixie blinked in utter bafflement, "... it won't be necessary."

Nightwing bowed and the Night Guard turned around, seeming to meld away into the shadows of the night.

XXXXX

Trixie entered into her room and lit a candle, she was utterly exausted from the day she'd had.

Walking over to a window, she was startled by the sight of non other than Twilight Sparkle.

"Madame?!" Trixie exclaimed.

Twilight held her finger to her mouth in a 'shh' fashion, "I wanted to thank you." she whispered.

Trixie's jaw quivered, "i-if the Queen knew you were here..."

Twilight shook her head, "the Queen is busy with Madame Cadence. Nopony has seen me."

Trixie gave a sigh of defeat as she set the candle down.

"so you are coming to Canterlot Madame?" Twilight half said and half stated, "or haven't you heard?"

"my Lady Rarity will never allow it." Trixie retorted confidently, "... one of my ponies was killed today." she remembered.

"... who was it?" Twilight asked respectfully.

"his name was... Caramel..." Trixie said as she took a seat near Twilight, "twenty eight years old from the sub vilage section of Ponyville called Sancthoof, his father is a miner, his mother died... of a sweating sickness two years ago, he had two brothers, one a priest... he came here as a stablecolt and was senior groom for three years..." she sighed, "three years..."

"you knew him well..." Twilight said softly.

"no, not particularly... he was one of my ponies..." Trixie said sadly.

Twilight was amazed at the sheer dedication and care that Trixie held for those she cared for and managed, "he was fortunate in that..."

Trixie nodded softly.

Twilight chewed on her lip, "why did you save my birds Madame?"

Trixie took a long pause with a weak smile, "because they were too small to do any good, Madame..."

Twilight rose and knelt down infront of Trixie, bringing her face meer inches away.

Trixie felt her pulse quicken as did her breathing, "a-and because... because..." they gazed into oneanother's eyes as Twilight brought her hand up to Trixie's maw and cupped the side of her face.

"and beca..." she lost her breath and took a swallow, "because they were yours." she finally managed.

They both grabbed oneanother's faces and moved in close with quick uneven breaths, neither of them were very experienced in the art of love and as such the kiss was awkward and sloppy but they both recieved more enjoyment from it than they had from anything they'd experienced in years of their regimented lives. Their lips mashed and heat permeated between them, a burst of emotion flared as the feelings they'd been both ignoring and denying poured forth breaking past the damn of their distancing barriers.

Tears threatened to break loose through the ecstacy of acknowledgement of desire and passion for oneanother.

XXXXX

Bells rang outside in the stillness of the night amongst the empty coutyards and stone masonry. A warm yet cool breeze flowed through the night as if it was Trixie and Twilight's and theirs alone.

The two mares lay neaked under Trixie's covers, their legs intertwined.

Footsteps could be heard as Spike rushed his way as quickly and silently as he could manage to Twilight's room, "Madame!" he exclaimed in a whisper, he knocked on Trixie's door, "Madame!"

Twilight bolted upright in the bed and hurried over to her clothes.

"hm?" Trixie drawled out lazilly as Twilight rushed to the door.

"Madame!" Spike panicked, "her majesty!" the dragon confirmed Twilight's fears.

"go!" she ordered to him as she rushed back to the bed and began slipping into her dress.

"she called for me..." Twilight whispered to herself in panick.

Trixie looked to Twilight with puzzled concern.

"It's the Queen," Twilight informed, "I'm a fool!" she cried.

Trixie frowned, "yesterday you were a fool. Stay here..." the mare pleaded.

Twilight laughed ruefully, "you think I can do that?" she asked as she tried to fit more layers of her complex nobel dress on but settled for just getting it to cover her body and hold it up with her hands, "you've lived among farmers for too long." Twilight hurried over to the door but stopped, this sudden terror wracked her brain with realization of how the world really worked, and that reminded her of Trixie's comment earlier about her confidence in Rarity.

Twilight turned to Trixie who still lay naked in the bed, "Rarity gave you away at the card table. To please the Queen she gave you away like hound from one of her kennels." with that, she hurried out of the room.

Trixie lay there with her mouth slightly ajar, shocked into petrified silence.

XXXXX

Twilight shuffled down the stairs holding her dress to her body to keep herself somewhat decent as she did her best to avoid the open doors of rooms still occupying some late night celebrating of guests.

XXXXX

Trixie rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling while placing the back of her wrist on her forehead.

"..."

Her eye began to twitch as anger and sadness welled up within her. Betrayal, hate, confuzement, disturbia... tears threatened to spill out as she shook her head furiously and rolled over to scream into her pillow.

XXXXX

Twilight made her way to her own apartments and was nearly scared out of her skin to find a pony there... specifically Hoity Toity.

"Madame... The Queen has retired... alone..." he stated bluntly.

Twilight's mouth quivered as if she were about to say something but no words came out, her dress half on and half being dragged, her mane completely disheveled and sweaty, even her hooves were bare, finally she managed to comprehend what words were, "I-I was..."

"Oh I know where you were." Hoity said with a knowing snide smile. He walked over to a chair just outside his own room, "but I would never betray you. No I told the Queen that you were probably consoling a dear friend, Duke Delongvee... the way his wife puts herself it's disgraceful, he needed somepony to talk to at such a late hour, don't you think?" he ended sharply.

Twilight swalowed hard as she looked down at herself, "you are a true friend..." she forced out. Walking slowly, she started for her door but Hoity spoke again.

"Oh you'll need a friend now won't you?" he started.

Twilight stopped in her tracks as her stomach began to turn, she looked at Hoity.

"Would you do me the honor of sharing a cup of chocolate... with me... even at this late hour... I think you'll find the Queen a less democratic pony than myself. And it would be tragic would it not? If Trixie were to be sent back to her former master in the prison of Penapal..."

Twilight's lip quivered as tears spilled forth, she laughed beside herself, almost in hysteria.

"..."

Moments passed...

Twilight silently made her way into Hoity's room, submitting.

XXXXX

The next mornin a rider came in from the main village of Ponyville, Lyra greeted her in the manor courtyards, "yes?" she asked.

"Is there any news?" the rider answered with his own question.

"news?" Lyra countered.

"about the payment." the rider answered.

"OH YES! The news if very good! The Queen is very pleased with us." Lyra said merily.

"Please, where is Trixie?" the rider inquired.

"I'm looking for her myself." Lyra informed.

"Is everything alright?" the rider, who turned out to be the leader of the union from the first day of the festivities, asked worriedly.

"Oh yes indeed!" Lyra called out absently as she entered the kitchens.

The two ponies found Trixie who was making her way to the fish trough.

The mariner dumped a pitiful amount of aquatic life onto the trough.

"... is that all?" Trixie asked, terrified of the answer.

"Yes Madame!" the mariner confirmed.

Trixie lost her breath, if their was no food for the banquete... But what of the extra cart she'd ordered for just such an emergency?

"have you seen another fish cart on the road?!" Trixie asked hysterically.

"well no Madame, there were stones all along the coast, just a few boats put to see at dawn and they came back empty." the Mariner informed.

"empty..." Trixie breathed out as she looked downward in thought.

At last Trixie looked up to the mariner, "come back tomorrow to be paid..."

"thank you Madame Trixie!" the mariner packed up his stuff.

Trixie turned and slowly trudged through the crowd of ponies that had formed, each mare and stallion parting to give her space.

Soon she stood at the other end of the room and turned to see everypony who depended upon her staring at her expectantly.

Trixie then left and hurried to the site of the banquete filled with beautiful ice sculptures.

Thoughts of every event filed through her mind of the passed few days, was she really incharge of all this? Was she the master of pleasures and festivities? Or were they her masters?

Her friends and ponies that depended upon her... She'd leave them forever as she was shipped off to Canterlot, merely given away by her Lady and friend Rarity whome she trusted and respected.

Her life...

Trixie's eyes shifted left and right at all of the banquete's decorations.

Her life... was it ever truly hers?

From the training under Ebonheart in the brothels to serving under magistrates and politicians, to becoming the master stewardess of Lady Rarity... did she ever truly have control over any of it? Was she ever truly free? The one thing she valued above all else... Freedome.

Or was she so much like her parrot whom she kept chained in her room?

XXXXX

"my dear friends, today's banquete will be my last, and it will be manifique. The breads will be made from the galican leaves make sure you take time to soak the candies or else they will collapse while waiting for the Queen. The Lobsters will be grilled, they must be cut in half while still alive, be sure the knife is big and sharp. Don't worry, everything will be perfect." Trixie reassured.

XXXXX

Trixie made her way to the stair case leading up to the floor on which her room sat with servant close behind carrying her own meal of lobster.

Vynil hurried over, "Madame, some of the Nobels wish to see you."

"Not now." Trixie said softly as she ascended the stairs and entered her room.

There she picked up a small lacy ribbon that Twilight had left behind, bringing it to her maw and inhaling, she noted that it still had her scent on it.

Vinyl finished setting up Trixie's brunch and pulled a chair out for her.

Trixie gestured that she could leave.

Standing alone in her room, she grabbed a bottle of fine wine and poured herself a glass.

Knocking sounded on the door, "Madame?"

Trixie notted the knocking but didn't answer it, instead picking up the glass.

"Madame Trixie? From her majesty, it's your commission for Canterlot... the Queen commands that you leave tomorrow... there will be a carriage for your personal baggage... you'll have a wyvern... she'll await your answer... Madame? Are you there?"

Trixie emptied the glass in one big gulp, there was no way she could go through with this sober.

Trixie walked over to her parrot, she tied the lacy ribbon around its leg and broke its chains. It hopped up onto her hand and she held it out her window for a few seconds before giving a jolt of her hand causing the bird to take off into the air and to freedome.

Tears pooled up in Trixies eyes. She looked down to the courtyards at all of the Nobels enjoying their games and customs, everypony looked so happy and pleasant...

XXXXX

A series of carriages pulled by wyverns came racing into the manor's rear entrance.

XXXXX

Trixie placed a sword on the table infront of her meal before sitting down and laying her napkin on her lap.

More knocking insued at her door, "Madame! Madame the fish carts, they're arriving!"

Trixie ignored the knocking and grabbed one of the lobsters, breaking the bone open to expose the meat.

XXXXX

The fish carts raced by the servants towards the kitchens, the cooks gave out sighs of relief and readied the fish trough.

XXXXX

Trixie's sword dropped to the ground with a clank, she stood up straight for a few moments before tipping forward and slamming into the wall with a grunt, blood pourd down from the slash accross her throat, staining the wall crimson.

She stood back up straight but tipped over agian and hit the wall, her body shaking and muscles beginning to spasm from rappid bloodloss, her body lurched to the side bumping into a table and knocking several glasses off to shatter on the ground.

More blood poured out as she stumbled back wards grabbing onto a chair for support and only succeeding in tipping it over.

Stumbling further she slunked into the table and grabbed onto the tablecloth as she fell backwards, pulling all of the dishes and plates and remnants of her last meal along with the wine bottle plummeting onto the ground as she fell onto her back.

Trixie lie dead as the bottle guzzled out red wine.

XXXXX

The mariners unloaded teh various sea food onto the trough and the cooks got to cooking.

Lyra, wondering where Trixie was, headed to the mare's room.

XXXXX

Out in the courtyard, Lyra pondered the note she held in her hand stamped with a wax seal of Trixie's own design.

Looking up, the Unicorn spotted Twilight and made her way over to the mare.

Twilight noticed Lyra's grim face and met her half way, "what is it?" she asked curiously.

Lyra flinched, "... Trixie..." she said softly and held out the note, "this is for you... I'm sorry..." she mumbled before walking away with her head hanging.

Twilight's heart stopped and she took a moment to swallow, she no idea of the letters contents but from Lyra's demeanor, it couldn't be good news.

She drifted away from the rest of the Nobels into a tree filled garden with a stone bench, the very same place where Trixie and her had spoken after the gale winds had stopped.

*Madame. You were right, I was not the master of these festivites, but their slave. When you read this I shall have left this world with only one regret*

Twilight fell to her kneese beside the bench as the letters became blurry from her tears.

*that I cannot be with you.*

Twilight wailed in agony as she weeped upon the stone bench, her heart shattering and her stomach folding into a thousand knots.

XXXXX

ponies cleaned up the remnants of the shattering ice sculptures from the banquete.

*in the last three days, I have come to understand that I treasure freedome above all. Between Rarity and Canterlot, the path is narrow, and I have taken it. May you find a better rode.*

The left over food was collected and decorations were taken down.

*your home is I think, in the south. If so, remember that there is a place not far away in the volcliffs where they plant cherry trees along the vines. The taste of the cherries comes through, in the wine.

Madame Trixie Lulamoon.*

XXXXX

*The fish banquete was a tremendous success, even though the sources perhaps lacked that 'touch' of perfection, but that was overlooked in the excitement of declaring war on the Griffons and of Rarity recieving her command.*

Twilight gazed out at the Manor one last time before she turned and entered into a carriage with Spike.

*ofcourse, nopony dared to tell the Queen the truth, but soon the word went round. Trixie killed herself because of the fish... which flattered her majesty, and pleased her courtiers.*

The carriage took off towards a gate leading out of the manor, and out of Ponyville.

*And Twilight Sparkle left quietly by a side gate, and never returned to court.*

The gates closed behind the carriage as it drove off into the horizon.

XXXXX

Trixie the Manifique.

_fin_


End file.
